Today’s Parents Magazine • Top Toys 2006“A game for Scotty’s age (3) that the whole family can enjoy. And it’s so much fun when it all comes tumbling down; Scotty thinks he’s the winner when that happens to him.”

Major Fun • Tops of 2011• Keeper Award 2011“[Fastrack is] one of those games that keep on getting played and played and played again. This takes it beyond Major Fun, into the realm of pure Keeper-hood.”

Tillywig Sterling Fun Award

The National Parenting Center • Seal of Approval 2011

Mom’s Choice Awards • 2012 Honoree

T.O.T.Y • Toy of the Year Nominee 2013

Flapz!

Dr. Toy• Best Green Toy 2012

Parents’ Choice Foundation• Recommended Award 2012

Playonwords.com• Play Advances Language Award 2012

Flash

Dr. Toy• Best Vacation Products Award 2013

Parents’ Choice Foundation• Fun Stuff Award 2013“This is a keeper!”

Tillywig Toy Awards• Best Family Fun Award 2013“Fun doesn't get any more rapid-fire than Flash.”

The National Parenting Center• Seal of Approval 2011“This is ideal for unleashing the imagination of just about any child or parent.”

YummyMummyClub• Top 20 Kid-Tested Toys of 2011“An excellent selection of picture prompts, with the added richness of wonderful detailing. Certainly one of the best story-telling games we’ve seen. Great for ad-lib bed-time storytelling, too.”

Parents’ Choice Foundation• Silver Honors Award 2005“The game requires a nice combination of luck and skill making it possible for younger players to legitimately win against older opponents. Older players can strategize to make their opponents next move more challenging.”

Family Fun - Battle Sheep

Scholastic - Aztack

Scholastic - Doodle Quest

US Weekly - Spot it! Splash

Better Homes and Gardens - Doodle Quest

Better Homes and Gardens - Flapz!

San Diego Family Magazine

Spot it! Splash has been selected for Splash Fun Summer Toy Review in the July print issue of San Diego Family Magazine.

DATING Web site users typically get acquainted online, then decide whether to meet in person, but the sites are increasingly helping to forgo that first step by hosting gatherings.

Last May, for example, Match.com, the 18-year-old Web site, introduced Stir, an events program, and has since held more than 2,850 mixers that more than 225,000 singles attended, according to the company.

Now Match.com has itself found a partner, the board game industry, to liven up events. On Tuesday, the company began holding what it is calling Stir game nights, where singles gather at bars and restaurants to play games like Bananagrams, a word game, and Spontuneous, a music game. The company will present 30 events through the fall in its top 25 most popular markets.

Luke Zaientz, vice president for events at Match.com, said that among attendees of events over the last year, 50 percent reported meeting someone they would like to date.

Match.com, which promoted the Stir events with a television commercial during the Summer Olympics Games last year, spent an estimated $105.3 million in advertising in 2012, according to Kantar Media, a unit of WPP.

Regular events like cooking classes or dance classes can be limited to as few as 18 singles for those who prefer smaller groups, while Match.com also hosts happy hours for as many as 300.

Some atypical events, like D.J. classes, have been hits, while others like teaching stand-up paddling on a surfboard flopped.

“We tried that and almost nobody showed up because nobody wanted to be in a bathing suit and to get wet,” said Mr. Zaientz.

A game night held in December in Chicago sold out quickly, prompting Mr. Zaientz to attend the American International Toy Fair held in New York in February to meet with game makers about forging partnerships.

The goal was to find games that could be learned quickly and enjoyed in short rounds, which ruled out long-lasting games like Monopoly and Risk. The coming events will feature about a dozen different games made by six companies, which have agreed to supply games to be played and given away.

Rena Nathanson, the chief executive of Bananagrams, which along with its flagship word game will be supplying another word game, Zip-It, for the game nights, said it was a good promotional opportunity for the brand.

“It helps spread the word,” she said. “Pardon the pun.” Ms. Nathanson, who lives in London, was drawn to the idea for nonprofessional reasons, too.

“Being a divorced person and a mother of two who finds it really difficult to meet people, I thought, what a great icebreaker and a great way to meet people,” she said.

Bananagrams has done little advertising, but has directed marketing and public relations efforts to promote the word games to parents, educators, travelers and the older Americans. Before now, said Ms. Nathanson, “The singles market was on the radar but we hadn’t hit it.”

The dating company declined to reveal how much the game makers were paying it in addition to providing games, saying only that it was a modest sum to defray the cost of events, and Ms. Nathanson, without giving a sum, described the cost as “dirt cheap.”

Brian Turtle, vice president for sales at Endless Games, which will feature two games at the events, Name 5 and Oddly Obvious, said his company has also hosted game nights at bars and bookstores.

“We feel that single people are the real lifeblood of the party game category,” said Mr. Turtle, who with two college classmates in the 1990s came up with the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, a humorous use of the actor to illustrate the six degrees of separation concept.

At a singles event, a game like Name 5, which challenges players to list five components in a category, could help kindle a romance, Mr. Turtle suggested.

“If I’m playing Name 5 and someone that I’m into can name five ingredients in chocolate chip cookies, maybe she can bake cookies,” Mr. Turtle said. “Or if she could name five members of Pearl Jam, maybe we’d have that in common.”

While they may seem quaint in the era of mobile games like Angry Birds, the category of board games, card games and puzzles has had year-over-year growth in two of the last four years, and totaled $2.2 billion in 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, according to Euromonitor International, a market research and data firm.

A Web series hosted by the actor Wil Wheaton, “TableTop,” features Mr. Wheaton and celebrity guests playing board games, which may sound less than riveting but has been popular. The first episode, featuring the actress and writer Jenna Busch, Grant Imahara of the television show “Mythbusters,” and Sean Plott, a webcaster known as Day[9], playing Small World (a Days of Wonder game), has garnered more than 1.1 million views on YouTube.

Matthew Hudak, a research analyst with Euromonitor who tracks toys and games, said board games, which traditionally had been marketed to mothers as family entertainment, had gained traction with consumers in their late teens and 20s in recent years, as evidenced by game nights on campuses and bars.

The strategy by Match.com to feature board games in events “is a decent idea because it’s following the trend of the popularity of games with millennials,” said Mr. Hudak, “who are in college or just out of college.”

A version of this article appeared in print on June 19, 2013, on page B5 of the New York edition with the headline: Finding Ms. (or Mr.) Right at the Board Game Table.

Blue Orange Games to Debut Spot it! Party at ASTRA Marketplace

SAN FRANCISCO—April 15, 2013—Blue Orange Games has announced their plans to launch an expanded edition of their best selling game, Spot it! at the 2013 ASTRA Marketplace on June 16 – 19 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Spot it! was released in 2010 and exploded in popularity, prompting the release of multiple editions and licenses. Both Spot it! and its Junior edition, Spot it! Jr. Animals have been nominated for Toy of the Year awards. Blue Orange Games hopes to capture a new audience with the Party edition and increase the game’s challenge level.

“Spot it! Party is designed to excite devoted fans and hook new players. We are pleased to release the game before the holiday season planning starts. We can’t wait to hear what our retailers have to say about it at ASTRA,” said Adeline Bertrix, Marketing Manager at Blue Orange Games.

Spot it! Party is packaged in a large box, designed to hold the game’s accessories: 8 colorful card holders and the Hand Mascot, a totem of the character on the game’s logo. The cards have a brand new set of funky symbols, including items such as a gnome, a plunger, and headphones. If seasoned players are too quick to recognize the symbols in the original Spot it!, the Party edition will level the playing field.

Spot it! Party lets players choose from six individual mini-games with separate rules and objectives. Favorites like “The Tower” get a big twist with the introduction of the Hand Mascot. In addition to match making, players have to keep their eyes peeled for their chance to steal or pass the Hand Mascot—it can make or break a win.

New mini-games called The Race, Dynamite, and Double Frenzy use card holders and take the game to the next level by throwing memory and multi-tasking into the mix! The winner of the most mini-games during a play session earns the title Spot it! Master.

The party box will offer players the ultimate Spot it! session. Game accessories inject a whole new factor of frenzied fun and rev up the challenge. With 6 never-before-seen mini games to master, this party box will hook players ages 10 to adult for hours of electrifying fun!

Spot it! Party will retail at $19.99 and will be available to ship July 2013.

Food Network Magazine

AARP Magazine: Power Down and Play!

AARP Magazine: Power Down and Play!

Sports Illustrated Kids: 2012 Gotta Get It Guide

Sports Illustrated Kids: 2012 Gotta Get It Guide

TOTY Nominations Include PAL Winners

Play On Words : TOTY Nominations Include PAL Winners

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Sherry Artemenko

At TOTY Press Conference

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being invited to the Toy Industry Association’s press conference announcing their finalists for Toy of the Year in 11 different categories. The event was in Bryant Park and included an ice skating exhibition which was special. I was excited to see several PAL winners make the list:

Activity Toy of the Year:

LEGO Friends. Referred to as “one of the most researched and exciting launches in company history,” these sets feature adventures with 5 girl characters in Heartlake City.

Educational Toy of the Year:

-Roll and Play by Thinkfun. “The first game ever designed for toddlers” this plush cube with follow-the-direction cards gets parents and toddlers moving, thinking and laughing as they follow picture cues.

-Zingo Sight Words by Thinkfun. This fun interactive game teaches early readers to recognize and read some of the most common and fundamental words in the English language that aren’t easy to sound out.

Game of the Year:

-Disney Jake and the Never Land Pirates-Never Land Challenge Game by Wonder Forge. Join the pirates to crawl, tiptoe and jump through the vine archways to earn gold doubloons and beat Captain Hook.

Never Land Challenge Game and Spot It Jr. Animals nominated for Game of the Year

-Spot It Jr. Animals by Blue Orange Games. With 6 adorable animals on each card, little ones match the animals and can practice their sounds.

Girl Toy of the Year:

-Lego Friends: LEGO Friends. Referred to as “one of the most researched and exciting launches in company history,” these sets feature adventures with 5 girl characters in Heartlake City.

Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year:

-Lego Duplo Creative Sorter. This build and store bucket serves as a shape sorter and also provides three sorting plate lids with instructions to build a parrot, elephant and giraffe.

-Roll and Play by Thinkfun. “The first game ever designed for toddlers” this plush cube with follow the direction cards gets parents and toddlers moving, thinking and laughing as they follow directions.

Specialty Toy of the Year:

-Playmobil E-Rangers Headquarters. “Equipped with a spotlight to help illuminate the surrounding terrain, knockout cannon to disable enemy vehicles and a functional solar fan module, this galactic headquarters is filled with top-notch technology” for creative play.

Congratulations to the nominees! For the complete list go to www.toyawards.org and be sure to vote for your favorites by January 13, 2013!!

If you’re starved for NHL action this hockey season, Blue Orange Games has a couple of titles that might just hit the “spot” for you. I recently took Spot It! NHL for a few laps around the rink, and here’s what I thought:

I’m into bigger style board games, so it was a bit deceiving when I saw Spot It! NHL was so compact. However, along with its miniature size came a great deal of fun, as it provided 5 different NHL hockey themed matching games.

The game’s single dimension is to spot matching NHL logos and other hockey-themed images before the other players can. This game has 5 different variations. The fun is all in the mayhem, trying to quickly make matches before everyone else.

I played with 4 friends, 2 of which don’t follow hockey regularly. All of us thought the game was great. My friends I played with play a lot of board games (they have a few shelves dedicated to them) and they decided to add this game to their regular lineup of games to play on game night.

The gameplay time is short enough that it does not get tiresome (3-5mins). Short is also good because players can exit a game anytime without disrupting a very involving showdown. There are a few variations that can potentially take a little longer (up to 8-10min) to finish than others, and the time difference adds to the variation.

You can keep score, but I found it more fun when each game is mutually exclusive from the other, since there is potential for players with superior matching skills to run away with the score over the course of multiple games. The game has a tendency to favor better players, as the real good players can go on long streaks, and slower-matching players could become frustrated. I’d recommend players organizing games amongst evenly skilled players, rather than letting the game even it out for you. But then again, playing the game is the only way to truly find out what level of matcher every player is.

The game comes in a durable case so game owners do not have to worry about wear and tear outside of actually the game.

Overall this is a great game to play for not only hockey enthusiasts, but for everyone. The learning curve is extremely low and the logos are easily distinguishable.

At the height of the recession, money was tight for most of my extended family. So instead of giving each other gifts that we didn't really want or need, my sister-in-law Jane came up with a plan:

"This year," she announced, "we will give each other experiences!"

She explained that our gifts would entail spending time together doing a memorable activity.

This was on my mind as we treated my in-laws to The Broadmoor's epic holiday festivities. During the resort's White Lights Ceremony — when 260,000 lights rival the starlit night — they avowed it was something they'd never forget.

So I fell in love with Jane's idea. I never know what to get most members of my family; making memories together seemed like a great alternative.

Unless, of course, they are bad memories. So I was hesitant when another relative stepped up with this announcement:

"Your brother and I thought it would be fun for you and The Husband to go to Ripped with us."

Any idea with the word "ripped" in it could not be good. I figured it was either a seedy bar or a killer workout, both of which might ultimately lead me to R.I.P.

"Just what exactly is Ripped?"

My relative confirmed it was kick-butt workout at the local gym. A workout that had her seeing stars within the first 15 minutes.

A rather appropriate symbol for the Christmas season, wouldn't you agree?

I do work out, but I still wasn't thrilled about getting Ripped. I really wanted to have enough energy to lift my fork from my plate to my mouth during Christmas dinner! (I have priorities, you know.)

I knew The Husband would be even less thrilled about the prospect of a work out gift as our Wii Fit recently accused him of being a Couch Potato. Instead of persevering, he indifferently shrugged his shoulders and went back to his computer.

And so this holiday season, I encourage you to not only seek out the best deals on gifts but consider giving experiences. Just don't give bad ones. Because nothing says "Happy Holidays" quite like the gift of pain.

This year's hot holiday toys

These ideas are from "The Toy Guy," also know as Christopher Byrne. He is the content director at TimetoPlayMag.com. Here he shares his picks for the hottest — and most affordable — toys for the 2012 holiday season.

Toys under $10

Spot-It Games by Blue Orange Games, $9.99, ages 4 and up

These clever matching games are available in multiple themes (sports, travel, etc.) and engage kids and families in a find-and-match play pattern that's both fun and educational. Kids love the round cards, too.

My 10-year-old grandson and I recently enjoyed a cold and rainy weekend together with a fun and educational selection of games from Blue Orange.

Blue Orange has created entertaining games for families for a decade. The classic format and construction of recycled tin and wood products takes me back to the days where I didn't need batteries or an Internet connection to play. I doubt my grandson can remember a day without electronic gadgets. His portable gaming system and iPod accompany him everywhere. This is why I was amazed at how quickly the he put the gadgetry aside when the board and card games came out to play!

We both appreciated that Blue Orange products are made from recycled products, and that the company plants two trees for every one used in the making of games. Kids are quite savvy these days about the environment and their future. Blue Orange is setting a good example

Enjoy the selection of our favorite family and party games below!

Spot It!

This compact card game is just the right size to tuck into a holiday stocking and features 55 cards, each with eight symbols. There are only two matching symbols between any two cards. The object of the game is to Spot It!

I love brain games. After all, grandparents need to exercise their brain to keep up with the youngsters! Spot It! takes a sharp eye and quick reflexes to be the first to spot a match. The grandson and I would be speeding along, catching the matches one after another and then we would both be stumped! Once we realized the symbols were clearly right in front of us we would end up with the giggles!

Also of merit is that there is more than a single way to play with the selection of mini games, party games, and tournament play. This little game packs plenty of action!

Recommended for ages seven years and older and for two to eight players.

Tell Tale Fairy Tales

Once upon a time... With the card game Tell tale Fairy Tales players create stories inspired by the colorfully illustrated cards. Individuals can play the game on their own, or pair up with a friend for team play.

One of the first things I liked about Tell Tale Fairy Tales is that there is no scoring and no winners. The object of the game is to create and share imaginative stories. Everyone is a winner as the game encourages imaginative play. Games can be played individually or in two-player teams which promotes cooperation and sharing.

The grandson and I enjoyed taking turns as the story emerged from our back-and-forth take on the illustrated cards. Some elements came from fairy tales we knew and enjoyed. I noticed as play went on more original scenes developed from our own imaginations.

Although the game is recommended for ages five years and older, I am looking forward to sharing Tell Tales Fairy Tales with my three-year-old grand-daughter. She is at the age where she adores pretend play and silly stories. I have a feeling the game will be a hit!

The card game is enclosed in a tin container, handy for sleepovers and road trips. Instructions allow for a variety of ways to play the game.

Yamslam

Yamslam is a dice game which combines risk and strategy while attempting to win the highest value chips.

The game may seem similar to other dice games which use "poker hands" to score. Yam slam takes the game one step further by deleting the score pad and adding the scoring chips. While a "full house" or "five of a kind" are welcome "hands," it is important to score high soon as there is a limited number of high-scoring chips. You really need to take a chance early in the game!

The grandson was a bit wary of the game at first. He quickly caught on to which combinations scored the highest and became more confident. At ten years of age he still may be a bit young for the game. I can imagine that Yamslam will become a favorite for family game night and he will take delight of beating his dad and grand-dad at the game!

Fastrack

Fastrack promises non-stop action in a classic board game setting.

The grandson and I had a terrific time and plenty of giggles at his ability to score and my ability to either miss or send my wooden disks flying outside of the game board. My skill did improve in time, although the grandson remains the champ. This may be why Fastrack ruled the day as he kept on insisting on one more game!

I enjoyed the simplicity of the game and the classic look and feel of the wooden board and disks. I am sure that this is not a game that will sit unused in our game cupboard!

Don't you love it when kids enjoy an educational challenge?

Speedeebee!

Finally! A game where grandma has the edge! But probably not for long.

I have to admit that my strengths are with word games. Speedeebee relies on the ability to quickly identify a word which fits the challenge stated on the cards and the resulting letters after the throw of the dice. I didn't feel a wee bit guilty as ruling champ of Speedeebee, not after constantly taking a beating of the other fames played on the weekend!

However, the grandson is determined to take the lead with Speedeebee and who am I to stop him from improving his spelling and vocabulary skills? It's going to take a bit of practice to beat grandma!

Pixy Cubes

Pixy Cubes can be played two ways! You can use the 16 engraved cubes to create colorful pictures and you can choose to play games!

Whichever way you choose to play, Pixy Cubes aids in the development of agility, creativity and memory. Designed for one to four players ages six years and older, Pixy Cubes comes complete with 16 cubes, ten design cards, 10 challenge cards, and illustrated rules. Take the challenge and copy the example patterns or design some of your own. Parents and caregivers will appreciate that the use of the Pixy Cube cards can effectively help children improve color and shape recognition skills, decision-making, abstract-reasoning, problem solving and perceptual skills, as well as memory, sequencing, and coordination.

Visit the official Pixy Cube website for a gallery of design and even more activities to enjoy.

Sketch It

You need to be quick on the draw when playing this party game!

Sketch It! isn't just about your quick reflexes. The game requires equal amounts of quick thinking, creativity, and the ability to read visual clues. All players compete simultaneously after receiving their visual clue. The sooner you finish sketching the higher you score AND the sooner another player properly identifies your sketch the higher you both score.

You don't need to be an artist to sketch; it helps to be an accurate doodler!

Spot It! Halloween Edition Card Game Will Scare Up Plenty Of Family Fun This Halloween

Looking for a fun treat this Halloween that won’t spiral your kiddos into sugar induced craziness? Why not check out Spot it! Halloween Edition, a fun party-style card game for kids. This spooky game comes with 55 cards, each featuring an assortment of fun Halloween images including jack-o’-lanterns, cobwebs, ghouls and other spooky creatures and objects. This Halloween spin on the regular Spot it! card game helps your child to develop visual perception and matching skills while also sharpening reaction time, motor skills and quick cognition. Game maker Blue Orange produces many high quality, eco-friendly games and to keep in line with green practices, plants two trees for every one tree used to make their games. Additionally, Blue Orange Games strives to make kid-brain powered games, not buzzing, light-up battery operated games, making Blue Orange Games a great alternative for parents who want to unplug their kids more often. Kids 7 and up will enjoy this game, though it may be too scary for some easily spooked kids.

Keeping the kids entertained is the number one priority when hitting the road for a family vacation. Here is a list of new and upcoming travel games designed to make family expeditions fun.

As most know, traveling with children is no easy task. Every parent knows a quick and ready supply of entertainment is essential to a successful and happy travel experience. And without it, it could mean disaster.

At the Toy Industry Association's 109th International Toy Fair in New York City, thousands of toy manufacturers and game publishers came together last week to show off their new and upcoming products. We decided to check out which games would act as a perfect travel companion for kids of all ages. Some are high-tech, and others are amazing low-tech toys that harken back to the good old days before computers.

But with so many toys to choose from, it was a tough choice.

Spot it! On the Road

Spot It! is a matching symbol game where kids use their sharp eye and quick reflexes to be the first to get rid of all their playing cards. In a deck of 55 cards there is only one matching symbol between any two cards- the player that “spots” the match and slaps their cards down first wins the hand.

The newest version of the popular game, Spot it On the Road uses symbols you would see on everyday road trips (stop signs, bridges etc). The idea is to have players match the travel symbols on their cards to the actual objects they see outside their window, instantly turning boring hours on the road into a fun and stimulating car ride.

It is a rare moment when I can pass by a game aisle without taking a long, hard look. As I said when I reviewed BANANAGRAMS, I’m a sucker for unique packaging, but it takes more than a pretty package for a game to become a favorite in our household.

This game is fun. This game is challenging. This game will stretch your child’s mental math abilities.

Giving credit where credit is due.

Before you think I found this fabulous game on my own, I will let you know the recommendation came from reader Anna-Marie Struble.

Anna-Marie wrote:“I discovered a math game called Sumoku and thought it might be something you could show on PW’s homeschool blog…I usually am a little skeptical about ‘educational’ games, and am afraid they’ll just take up space on my school room shelves. I actually bought this game more for the sake of the fun number tiles to use with my 1st grader, but my 4th and 5th grader love the game!”

Anna-Marie told me she found hers at Target, but it wasn’t available at my Target so I found and ordered mine from Amazon.

Everything needed to play this game is zipped up in the compact, brightly colored, cone-shaped bag.

The Game

Sumoku is a crossword-style game using number tiles.

What is it with number and letter tiles? I just love them. Not only are they visually appealing, they are utilitarian; there are endless learning games that can be played with number and letter tiles. Blending aesthetics with utility is my own personal homeschool Utopia!

Sumoku can be played (5) five different ways – Sumoku, Speed Sumoku, Spot Sumoku, Team Sumoku, and Solo Sumoku. Additional challenges are available at sumokuonline.com in (3) three different levels of difficulty (Easy, Medium, Hard).

Kenny is still mastering his 7,8, and 9 multiplication tables, so we primarily play the plain Sumoku game; it is challenging in and of itself.

The premise of all the Sumoku games is to arrange the number tiles in a crossword-style pattern where each row and/or column adds-up to a multiple of the key number.

The key number is established at the start of each game with the roll of the die. Once the key number is established it stays the same throughout the entire game.

Each player keeps (8) eight number tiles at all times – grabbing from the extra tiles after each play.

After all the tiles are played, the player with the highest score wins. Sounds simple, eh?

In the game we played above, our key number was (3) three.

Meredith created a column with the number combination [9][3][7] and [5]. The sum of the four numbers is 24.

Because of the positioning, Meredith also had to pay attention to the horizontal row her new column touched–in order for it to work, its sum also has to be a multiple of 3.

It had a previous number combination of [2] [4] [5] and [1]. When she added a [3] to that combination, the sum became [15], which was still a multiple of (3) three. Whoop!

In this play Meredith earned 72 points.

24 points for the (9+3+7+5) column. 15 points for the (3+2+4+5+1) row. 33 points for the (4+8+9+7+5) row.

The addition practice comes in as the kids add-up each of their ongoing scores.

The multiplication practice comes in as the kids have to remember their multiplication families to know if the sum of a Sumoku is a multiple of the key number.

The division practice comes in because it doesn’t take long before the kids discover that dividing is often the fastest way to think through each of their plays.

There are a couple of other rules that add to the challenge:

1. There are only 6 colors in the Sumoku number tiles and a color cannot repeat in the same row or column. 2. A row or column must be a combination of 2 to 6 tiles in one unbroken line. You can’t have a single tile.3. Finally, the “6″ tile can be used as a “6″ or a “9″; keeps’em thinking!

Suggestions when you play.

When you first get started I suggest playing a game where everyone helps each other earn the most points. Sort of an “open play” where individual points don’t really matter. This not only allows them to establish a better understanding of how the rules “iron-out” in the game, but it cuts the frustration when one of them picks-up on the game rules faster than another.

Also, once you get started, you may want to set an allowable time-frame to complete a play (we use a small, plastic, 2-minute hourglass timer I picked up from the local party store). Kenny’s patience was tested over and over as his sister kept looking for the play with the most points–which is good, unless it takes 10 minutes to make a single play! HA!

After the game was completed the kids caught a row that was NOT a multiple of 3. Do you see it?

Sumoku is a powerful math tool we will continue to use over and over. In fact, I have been known to play solo when the kids grow tired of the game and push-off from the table.

Toys, games, apps to make time fly: These travel toys are perfect for a long car or plane ride and fun to play once you reach your destination!

School’s out and you’re dying to get to the beach, the mountains or Grandma’s house. But getting there can seem as long as the school year. Don’t wait for Mom or Dad to dream up ways to entertain you. As you make your packing list, jot down a few of the toys, games and apps on the next pages. Promise that you will play quietly and take turns with your little brother. (So hard, we know.) Your parents know that a few distractions will go a long way toward making the trip enjoyable for the whole family.

Spot It! On the Road

BlueOrange. Age 7 and older. Two to eight players. $12.99.

What’s a car ride without the classic game of I Spy? This version, the latest in a series of Spot It games, is packaged in a little tin with pictures of things commonly seen out the car window. Flip a card from the pile, and the first one to spot it wins that card.

Spot It! Any pair of cards has exactly one symbol that matches between them.

Overview:Spot It! is a teeny little card game based on a simple idea: spot the match. Any given pair of cards has exactly one match on it, and your goal is to find it as fast as possible. There are four variations of the game included in the tin, plus you can make up your own.

Players: 2 to 8

Ages: 7 and up (though this works for younger players)

Playing Time: 20 minutes (or less, usually)

Retail: $12.99

Rating: Brilliant! Lightning-fast, easy to teach, quick to play

Who Will Like It? Fans of find-the-object games (like Pictureka) or spot-the-difference games will appreciate this speedy find-a-match competition. Great for both adults and kids playing together.

Components:

55 round cards in a handy little tin. Each card has a random assortment of 8 things, which can be anything from a pair of lips to a yin-yang to a snowman, in different sizes. The cards are a little thin and it turns out that round cards are difficult to shuffle, but the circular shape is probably better for arranging the icons. The metal tin is a nice touch, as it’s bright and sturdy.

Gameplay:

There are instructions for four games included: The Tower, The Well, Hot Potato, and The Poisoned Gift. All of the games are speed-based: there are no turns and you just look for matches as quickly as you can.

The Tower: each player gets one card face-down, and the rest of the cards go in a stack face-up in the center. Everyone turns up their cards at the same time. When you find a match, you call it and take the card from the top of the stack, placing it on top of your own. The game goes until the “tower” runs out, and the player with the biggest stack wins.

The Well: The reverse of the Tower, you start with one card in the center and deal out the rest of the cards as evenly as possible. Everyone looks for a match from their own draw pile to the center, and tries to get rid of their cards as quickly as possible.

Hot Potato: Each player holds one card in their hand, face-down. At a signal, all the cards are turned over. If you find a match with any other card, you call it and place your card on top of the matching one. (If you have more than one card in your hand, you’re just looking at the top card.) Play goes until one player has all the cards, which are set in the player’s own discard pile. Keep playing rounds like this until cards run out. Player with the smallest discard pile wins.

The Poisoned Gift: Give each player one card face-down, and put the rest face-up in the center. Everyone flips over their cards, and then looks for a match between the stack and somebody else’s top card. Call the match and place the card from the stack onto the other player’s stack. Continue until the center stack runs out. Player with least number of cards wins.

Conclusion:

It’s quite a simple idea, but it’s really fun. First there’s just the geekiness of the mathematics involved in creating a set of cards in which any two cards have exactly one match. I mean, it’s not necessarily that complicated, but it gets you to stop and think about it a bit.

The drawings on the cards are cute little random things, but there’s a limited color palette — that means that it’s easy to see the carrot (orange with green top) and the tree (orange trunk, green leaves) and think that you’ve found a match until you look more closely. Also, the icons aren’t necessarily the same size or orientation between cards, so that’s another added trickiness to the cards. Because there are so many different cards, there’s no way you’ll memorize cards, either, so everyone’s on a level playing field.

Playing the game reminds me a little bit of playing Set (another really great card game), because most of the game involves sitting and looking for a match, then shouting it out when you find one. Of course, Spot It! usually goes a lot more quickly, but there are times when you find yourself staring at a pair of cards, unable to find the match even though there are only eight symbols on each card.

All of the games are fairly similar, of course, but we found we really liked Hot Potato with a lot of players. We did introduce a house rule, though. In the normal game, the loser each round gets the whole stack of cards, and everyone else gets none. So you don’t have to be the fastest — just faster than the slowest one. We played this game with 7 players, and we stopped each round when only two people had cards left. What that meant was that the two slowest players didn’t have the same number of cards: sometimes you’d have 3 and 4, but other times you might have a player with 1 and a player with 6. It made the game a bit more interesting and helped spread out the cards a little.

This isn’t a deep game, to be sure, but it’s undeniably fun. You can play it with just about any age, and it’s especially fun with a lot of people. The only thing I would have changed is that there are a few of the symbols that are words: “Stop,” “Art,” and “OK.” They’re all different colors but it’s the only thing in the game that sort of requires reading ability, and it would have been nice to have those replaced by other drawings.

You can purchase the game from Blue Orange, from Amazon, or check your local game store.

Wired: Speedy spot-the-match game is lots of fun and a cinch to teach. Nice metal tin.

I had a fun interview today at NBC CT sharing the latest PAL Award winners that can build language skills. Here are the toys and games that I brought with the points I made about them and their price:

It’s Back to School and parents are immersed in the new school year with academic expectations, homework etc. Kids come home and need some down time for play but it doesn’t have to be mindless play–here are some great toys and games that build language while having loads of fun:

wonderful, portable games in a tin that use language skills to find words in a category, beginning sounds in Speedee Bee, tell a story with Tell Tale Fairy Tales, or learn vocabulary with Spot It Jr.

WOW Fire Rescue Roary by Ravensburger (1 1/2-5 years, $40.00)

play scenario toy with just 4 pieces but plenty to get the story going and leave it open-ended for the child to lead

kid-powered, no batteries, picks up the stretcher and injured man with a magnet to air lift him

Pop and Swap Gym by Infantino (birth-2 years, $50.00)

flexible toy for baby–4 positions from tummy time to sitting up

pods and hanging toys are mix and match–add on new ones

babies learn from adults describing their play–variety for adults too

e-Ranger Headquarters by Playmobil (7-12 years, $130)

futuristic space station

workers have organic garden to produce the oxygen to live

working solar panel to drive the fan to disperse the oxygen

red energy crystals to provide power

Retailers Love Blue Orange Games

Edplay : Retailers Love Blue Orange Games

July/August 201 by Brenna English-Loeb

Retailers’ love affair with San Francisco-based Blue Orange Games has been well documented in the past year. The 12-year-old company has received coveted awards for its service, store support and product quality from three leading groups: storeowners from Learning Express franchises located throughout the U.S., the retailers who cooperatively use Toy Collection’s professionally designed catalogs and members of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association.

Maybe it’s because Blue Orange cofounders Julien Mayot and Thierry Denoual often show up in their stores. “We don’t spend a lot of time sitting in the office,” Julien tells me in a recent interview. He and Thierry “are the kind of people that are always on the move.”

Julien peddled the company’s first game, Gobblet, storefront to storefront from the back of his Jeep. Each year since then, he has embarked upon a road trip that harkens back to the grand age of the traveling salesman. He does it not just because it’s been successful for the company, but also because he believes in “going to see your customers and their stores and staff, instead of waiting for them to come visit you at a trade show.

“Last year our team of five had a six-month road trip. We drove 160,000 miles and saw 2,000 retailers,” he says. “We don’t feel time, we don’t feel fatigue. We just get boosted with energy by all these retailers we meet day after day, city after city.”

He has nothing but compliments for owners of small specialty toy stores. “The same way we design our games with a very unique design, they design their stores with very unique features. I am amazed at the talent of the store owners, and at how much creativity comes out of toy stores. When we meet with these people it sparks ideas and energy.”

When I ask him what goes on during their meetings, he tells me, “Last year we gave away half a million samples of Spot It to the stores. It’s something we do a lot. That way, when people visit that local toy shop, they can try our game. They love it so much they want to buy it.

“We’re very hands-on and back-to-basics, from the game we create to how we get it to market,” he adds. “We’re really down to earth, one store at a time.”

Retailers also appreciate Blue Orange’s stand on the environment. The company’s name, in fact, was inspired by the Paul Eluard poem about our planet, “The Earth is Blue Like an Orange.”

Games are manufactured using recycled materials or materials that can be recycled, and the boxes they come in are durable. Made of recycled cardboard, resin, tin or wood, they don’t end up in the garbage. What’s more, the company has pledged to plant two trees for every one used in the production of a Blue Orange game.

Both Thierry, the game inventor, and Julien, the businessman, are from France. While Thierry works alone in the creative stage, testing out ideas and prototypes with friends and family members, both men work with the marketing team to finalize the themes and the rules of the games.

“I did not come to the U.S. to sell games, I just found a niche and a need for a different type of game,” Julien says. Originally, after earning a master’s degree from the prestigious international IAE Business School, he came to San Francisco as a web marketing developer.

Right away he noticed a big difference between the board game market here and the market in France. “Games in Europe tend to be a lot more complex. Blue Orange games are simplified because we understand that Americans don’t have as much free time, or they spend it in different ways. All of that helps us come up with a unique Blue Orange concept: little games that are set for the whole family. Anyone can be good in a matter of seconds.

“The philosophy behind Blue Orange Games is a simple good time with family and friends, something that hasn’t changed for centuries,” he adds.

When I ask him how a game is successfully designed and marketed, he reminds me of Yoda telling Luke Skywalker, “Do or do not. There is no try.”

“Design is what makes us different from other manufacturers,” he begins, “but it’s not all about the product itself. You can have the best product in the world, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to be successful. For us, the philosophy isn’t to follow one direction as much as it’s to follow our instincts and the feeling we have of what makes a good game.”

Right now, his instincts are telling him to create more games that can be used as teaching tools, “to make Spot It an educational game, for instance, to help teach the basics like the alphabet and numbers.”

What you won’t see from Blue Orange is an electronic game. “We don’t plan to put all of our games on the tablet,” says Julien. “We could, but I don’t think that’s the future. We started Blue Orange Games to combat technology so why would we turn to it and say, oh, let’s just embrace these technologies and try to market 60 percent of our games on the tablet?”

He concludes with an assertion of the longevity of non-electronic games. “You see the movie rental companies and huge corporations going out of business. We don’t even know the future of books. But for board games? I don’t see change in the next 50 years. If you get a game made out of good old-fashioned feel good materials, you’re going to be unplugged with hours of good old-fashioned fun around the table.”